March Madness Thread

[Exile on Waveland]

WVU players rip the Dukies in the post-game. Classy? No. Awesome? You better believe it.

 

As a reporter was leaving, the reserve Cam Thoroughman asked if Duke point guard Greg Paulus was one of the eight McDonald’s all-Americans. When told yes, Thoroughman said: “Oh my God. Are you kidding?”

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/sports/ncaabasketball/23duke.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

 

That's something that shouldn't be said to the media. Oh well. However, he is right. Duke's players often aren't McDonald's All-Americans because they're that good, they're McDonald's All-Americans because they're going to Duke.

[wekse]

There is no possible way there wasn't a foul on somebody there.

 

I'll take it though.

 

 

UCLA was getting away with murder down low all night. That last play looked clean though.

 

I stand corrected.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/snoodmonger1/532752.jpg

 

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-03/37063269.jpg

 

and i thought ucla had used up all of their luck in the last week of the regular season.

[Vanilla Ice]

While I will be rooting for West Virginia (Family Ties), some of the things they said after the game really left a bad taste in my mouth. Alexander had two blocks and both times turned around and basically screamed at Nelson and Singler. Then the Throughman quote.

 

I realize I'll get jumped on because of JJ, but it seemed to me he did his trash-talking to the fans not to the other players.

 

I am not going to argue with the fact that players become McDonald's All Americans because they go to Duke.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Those pictures tell a different story, but in real time and on the replay it was hard to tell if Shipp got any of Sloan's arm on the shot. I think it's hard to blame the officials on that one, especially since the aTm gameplan appeared to be "dribble at the basket and shoot without any sense of a plan".

[Exile on Waveland]

While I will be rooting for West Virginia (Family Ties), some of the things they said after the game really left a bad taste in my mouth. Alexander had two blocks and both times turned around and basically screamed at Nelson and Singler. Then the Throughman quote.

 

I realize I'll get jumped on because of JJ, but it seemed to me he did his trash-talking to the fans not to the other players.

 

I am not going to argue with the fact that players become McDonald's All Americans because they go to Duke.

 

West Virginia didn't handle the victory with class on or off the court. I doubt anyone would argue with that.

[Exile on Waveland]

Why is Villanova-Siena the only game on at this time slot? This is the game they want to feature nationally? Later games include thoroughly intriguing matchups like Tennessee-Butler, Georgetown-Davidson and Louisville-Oklahoma.

[Jon]

Those pictures tell a different story, but in real time and on the replay it was hard to tell if Shipp got any of Sloan's arm on the shot. I think it's hard to blame the officials on that one, especially since the aTm gameplan appeared to be "dribble at the basket and shoot without any sense of a plan".

The live angle and replay(s) didn't really show anything to raise my suspicion.

 

Of course, had the shot gone in, it would have only tied the game and UCLA still would have had plenty of time to set up a final shot. And I certainly would have favored them in OT.

[Derwood]

Why is Villanova-Siena the only game on at this time slot? This is the game they want to feature nationally? Later games include thoroughly intriguing matchups like Tennessee-Butler, Georgetown-Davidson and Louisville-Oklahoma.

 

because they assumed it would be Vandy vs. Clemson when they scheduled it

[SouthSideRyan]

Damn that Big Ten sucks.......

 

Man Indiana sure played well in the tournament.

 

And the fifth and sixth place teams, Ohio State and Minnesota, had good showings as well. Oh wait......

 

Maybe they would have done OK if they had put them in instead of garbage like Baylor and South Alabama.

 

Baylor, I'll agree with in terms of shouldn't have been in but not South Alabama. And if I was going to remove Baylor, I sure as hell wouldn't have put Ohio State or Minnesota in.

 

Easy to say off the top of your head. When you look at it, OSU was one of the best teams snubbed. Minnesota certainly had no shot.

[Guest]

I would have put Illinois State or VCU in.

[SouthSideRyan]

Why is Villanova-Siena the only game on at this time slot? This is the game they want to feature nationally? Later games include thoroughly intriguing matchups like Tennessee-Butler, Georgetown-Davidson and Louisville-Oklahoma.

 

because they assumed it would be Vandy vs. Clemson when they scheduled it

 

An entirely unintriguing(not a word) matchup.

[SouthSideRyan]

Those pictures tell a different story, but in real time and on the replay it was hard to tell if Shipp got any of Sloan's arm on the shot. I think it's hard to blame the officials on that one, especially since the aTm gameplan appeared to be "dribble at the basket and shoot without any sense of a plan".

The live angle and replay(s) didn't really show anything to raise my suspicion.

 

Of course, had the shot gone in, it would have only tied the game and UCLA still would have had plenty of time to set up a final shot. And I certainly would have favored them in OT.

 

Which is why you don't take a 2 there. Drive to the basket kick it out. Don't give UCLA another 5 minutes to prove they're more talented than you.

[Exile on Waveland]

Why is Villanova-Siena the only game on at this time slot? This is the game they want to feature nationally? Later games include thoroughly intriguing matchups like Tennessee-Butler, Georgetown-Davidson and Louisville-Oklahoma.

 

because they assumed it would be Vandy vs. Clemson when they scheduled it

 

An entirely unintriguing(not a word) matchup.

 

This game was originally schedule for 12:10 or 2:40. It didn't have to be now. And, as you said, even if it was Vandy-Clemson, it shouldn't have been the lone game in any time slot. That's not that intriguing of a matchup, nor does it have any big-name (team or player) panache.

[Derwood]

i expect the SD vs. WKY matchup to be better than this game. This is an underachieving team with Power Conference recruits vs. an overachieving team with small conference recruits. I expect Nova to win by 20

[Exile on Waveland]

I would have put Illinois State or VCU in.

 

What did either of those teams accomplish to have a better resume than Ohio State? Illinois State's best wins were against Creighton twice (RPI #46) and Southern Illinois (#62). VCU's best wins are against Houston (#80) and Maryland (#85). Ohio State has wins over Syracuse (#55), Florida (#73), Cleveland State (#63), Purdue (#45) and Michigan State (#16). Indiana played both Illinois State and Ohio State, and there is no doubt Ohio State is a superior team.

[Keener98]

I would have put Illinois State or VCU in.

 

What did either of those teams accomplish to have a better resume than Ohio State? Illinois State's best wins were against Creighton twice (RPI #46) and Southern Illinois (#62). VCU's best wins are against Houston (#80) and Maryland (#85). Ohio State has wins over Syracuse (#55), Florida (#73), Cleveland State (#63), Purdue (#45) and Michigan State (#16). Indiana played both Illinois State and Ohio State, and there is no doubt Ohio State is a superior team.

 

They arent in the Big Ten........

[Guest]

I would have put Illinois State or VCU in.

 

What did either of those teams accomplish to have a better resume than Ohio State? Illinois State's best wins were against Creighton twice (RPI #46) and Southern Illinois (#62). VCU's best wins are against Houston (#80) and Maryland (#85). Ohio State has wins over Syracuse (#55), Florida (#73), Cleveland State (#63), Purdue (#45) and Michigan State (#16). Indiana played both Illinois State and Ohio State, and there is no doubt Ohio State is a superior team.

 

Admittedly, I'm a bit biased towards the mid-majors and would prefer to see more of them get in but...

 

Illinois State had a higher RPI (33 vs. 49) than Ohio State and did better against the RPI top-100 (5-5 vs. 6-10). That's a no-doubter as far as I'm concerned. Add to it that they finished second in the MVC which is typically one of the top mid-major conferences.

 

VCU's RPI was a bit lower (54 vs. 49) than OSU's and also did better - though in many fewer games - against the RPI top-100 (3-3 vs. 6-10). And they won the regular season CAA title.

[snoodmonger]

good god. If i said the Big Ten was the greatest conference in the world and was jilted by not getting all 11 teams in, could we move on. It's the end of the second round, and you guys are still bitching about your crappy teams not getting a shot to flame out in the first round.

[Exile on Waveland]

I would have put Illinois State or VCU in.

 

What did either of those teams accomplish to have a better resume than Ohio State? Illinois State's best wins were against Creighton twice (RPI #46) and Southern Illinois (#62). VCU's best wins are against Houston (#80) and Maryland (#85). Ohio State has wins over Syracuse (#55), Florida (#73), Cleveland State (#63), Purdue (#45) and Michigan State (#16). Indiana played both Illinois State and Ohio State, and there is no doubt Ohio State is a superior team.

 

Admittedly, I'm a bit biased towards the mid-majors and would prefer to see more of them get in but...

 

Illinois State had a higher RPI (33 vs. 49) than Ohio State and did better against the RPI top-100 (5-5 vs. 6-10). That's a no-doubter as far as I'm concerned. Add to it that they finished second in the MVC which is typically one of the top mid-major conferences.

 

VCU's RPI was a bit lower (54 vs. 49) than OSU's and also did better - though in many fewer games - against the RPI top-100 (3-3 vs. 6-10). And they won the regular season CAA title.

 

I like mid-majors too; I have Butler topping Tennessee in my bracket. I just don't see a whole lot that tells me either Illinois State or VCU is superior to Ohio State.

 

Illinois State and VCU did better against the top-100 because Ohio State played nine games against the top-25. Illinois State played five top-25 teams and lost all five -- three by double figures. VCU played two games against the top-50, losing to Miami (FL) and Arkansas. Ohio State played the 18th toughest schedule in the nation and 13th toughest out of conference schedule. Besides the teams I listed that they beat, they were competitive against UNC (11-point loss), at Purdue (7-point defeat), Michigan State twice (six and seven), at Tennessee (five), Indiana twice (six and three) and Wisconsin (five). While a loss is still a loss, Ohio State proved it was competitive against some of the best teams in the nation, even on the road. Neither ISU nor VCU did.

 

As for where the teams are ranked in the RPI, I don't put too much stock in that besides rough comparisons -- and it seems neither did the committee as Kansas State, Villanova, Kentucky and Oregon all made it with worse RPI's than either ISU or OSU.

[SouthSideRyan]

Little overreaction there snood. I did forget about ASU though, they should've had Baylor's spot instead. I'd put OSU as #66. I was pretty dubious about South Alabama, and pretty much the entire SEC after Vandy, but the bubble was weak enough that they belonged.

[Exile on Waveland]

good god. If i said the Big Ten was the greatest conference in the world and was jilted by not getting all 11 teams in, could we move on.

 

If you said that I would argue just as vehemently. The Big Ten was the fifth best conference this season.

[SouthSideRyan]

I have Nova in this game, but Siena was my spread pool team. Guessing they don't cut this to 5. Bastards.

[snoodmonger]

I wonder if Damion James will go pro this year. I like his game. And that Abrams three reminded me that Collison from UCLA is shooting over 50% from three this year. Yikes. That's amazing.

[NOLA]

Speaking of bad calls...and for that matter speaking of reasons why everyone hates Duke except Duke, they called this play legal against Belmont:

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u233/terpbe2/paulusanim.gif?t=1206133417

[Exile on Waveland]

Tennessee not pressing Butler. I think this is a very good coaching adjustment by Pearl. Butler's not the kind of team that succombs easily to full-court pressure. I doubt I would've picked Butler if I knew Pearl wasn't planning on using his press.